View Vacancy - Personal Assistant to DHM and Ambassador’s Office Assistant (POL21.216)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Chancery

Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

The British Embassy in Poland is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking to recruit a Personal Assistant (PA) to the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) & Ambassador's Office Assistant.

The successful candidate will play a key role in a small and supportive team. The job holder will be working closely with the Senior Management, which gives a unique overview of the day-to-day work of a big and complex Embassy. The ideal candidate should be able to work in a challenging, often fast-moving environment.

Main responsibilities will include:

  • Managing Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) calendar and Her Majesty's Ambassador (HMA) calendar, if necessary;
  • Managing HMA/DHM incoming correspondence: post, email invites, letters;
  • Managing HMA/DHM outgoing correspondence: formatting, scanning, arranging despatch by post and by hand;
  • Sending regrets/confirmations to invites HMA/DHM receive (by phone or email) to receptions, dinners, lunches;
  • Sending requests for VTC calls hosted by HMA/DHM;
  • Sending requests for conference rooms set up;
  • Managing travel arrangements for senior managers, as required;
  • Supporting preparations of Embassy events and visits including managing invitations and attendance lists;
  • Printing and scanning of various documents for meetings;
  • Dealing with office supplies as required;
  • Preparing minutes from meetings and managing correspondence, as required;
  • Providing general administrative support in the Ambassador’s office;
  • Back-up for other staff in the Ambassador’s office, if required.
  • Fluency in Polish and English (both oral and written, minimum C1 level*);
  • Good time management skills and ability to deal effectively with multiple tasks;
  • Proven organisational and administrative skills;
  • Strong interpersonal and effective communication skills through telephone, correspondence, and face-to-face contact;
  • Confidence in dealing with senior contacts and colleagues with a strong customer focus;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
  • Flexibility and ability to work under pressure;
  • Proven IT competence with the full Microsoft Office package, database management, and other standard office technology.
  • Minimum 2 years of experience as a Personal Assistant and/or Administrative Officer or similar;
  • Previous experience in a business related environment and/or international organisation would be an advantage.
20 June 2021
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
37.5
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Poland
Warsaw
British Embassy
1
PLN
6,630 gross
1 September 2021

This is a full-time fixed-term position of 5 days (37.5 net per week) for 2 years with the possibility of renewal by mutual agreement.

The gross salary for this position is PLN 6,630 gross per month. Working hours are flexible and staff are entitled to time-off-in-lieu for agreed extra hours worked. The annual leave entitlement is 20 or 26 days per year pro rata and the Embassy also enjoys a maximum of 14 Polish / UK public holidays per year.

Please note that staff members are responsible for paying any income tax required by the local law.

The successful candidate will be subject to the Polish references check and satisfactory completion of a probationary period of three months.

Candidates must have pre-existing right to live and work in Poland for the duration of the job offer in order to apply. The British Embassy does not sponsor work permits.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Warsaw are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to Polish employment law.

Visa / Passport requirements:

Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Poland and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

Working patterns

BE Warsaw has a strong commitment to work/life balance. Office hours are 8:30 – 16:30, staff are encouraged to leave on time. Flexi-hours are also possible within the Embassy building’s opening hours (0800-1800).

We have mobile technology and most staff in the team work from home one day a week in normal circumstances.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

Please note Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment  indicates Level C2 as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.

Additional Information (due to Covid 19):

  • You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption;
  • Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action;

  • Starting date may be delayed depending on circumstances at the time and it will be agreed with the selected candidate.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.